Ietaluc cross-tie for street-railways



(No Model.)

H. HOWARD.

METALLIC GROSS TIE FOR STREET RAILWAYS.

No. 340,118. Patented Apr. 20, 1886.

/ INVENTUH UNITE TATES PATENT Fries.

HENRY HOWARD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

METALLlG CROSS-TIE FOR STREET-RAILWAYS.

SPECEFICATION Joining part of Letters Patent No. 340,118, dated April20, 1886.

Application filed February 8, 1886. Serial No. 191,228. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, HENRY HOWARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Metallic Gross-Ties forStrcetRailways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, makingpart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view ofmy improved railway-tie. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectionthrough the same, showing a portion of the pavement. Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical section on the lineova: of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is ahorizontal section on the line 3 y of Fig. 2.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple, strong, and durablemetallic tie for street-railways which will lie wholly beneath thesurface of the pavement; and it consists in the combination, with across-tie formed of channeliron having its open side uppermost toreceive the lower portions of the pavingbloeks, of a rail clamp or chairwhich rests upon the upper edges of the vertical flanges of the tie, andis provided with ears or lugs which extend down and lie closely againstthe outer sides of the said vertical flanges, and are secured thereto bya transverse bolt passing through the same, the said clamp beingprovided on one side with a lip, which extends over the baseflange orfoot of the rail, and on the opposite side with a higher lip or flange,which extends up to near the level of the top of the rail, a wedgebeingdriven between the said flange and the rail to hold the lattersecurely in place,while the flange is inclined inwardly toward the topof the rail, and also in the direction of its length,to conform to theshape of the wedge, and thus hold the latter in place, as hereinaftermore particularly set forth and specifically claimed.

In the said drawings, A represents the tie, which is formed ofchannel-iron, having its open side uppermost to receive the lower endsof the paving-blocks B, as seen in Fig. 2, whereby the tie is heldimmovably in place upon the earth beneath the surface of the pavement.

Upon the upper edges of the vertical flanges or sidesb b of the tie, atthe opposite ends thereof, rest the rail clamps or chairs D, in whichrest the rails G. Each clamp D is provided at its opposite ends with twoears or lugs, c, which are formed by bending down the ends of thebase-platef, and these ears extend down and lie closely against theouter sides ot'the flanges b b, to which they are secured by atransverse bolt, g, passing through both flanges and ears from one sideof the tie to the other, and fastened by a key, 71, as seen in Figs. 1and 3. The chairs or rail-clamps are thus confined securely in positionin a very strong and simple manner, and can be readily removed andreplaced, the base-platefhaving a firm bearing on the upper edges of theflanges I), while the ears or lugs a, resting against the outer sides ofthe said flanges, effectually prevent any lateral movement of the chairwith respect to the tie.

Each clamp D has on one sidealip, i,which extends over the base-flangeor foot' k of the rail, while the opposite side of the clamp is turnedup, forming a lip or flange, m, which lies off from the side of. therail, and extends up nearly to the level of the top of the same, a spacebeing thus left between the two for the reception of a wedge, n,composed of wood or metal,which is driven in between the tread andbase'flange of the rail in the direction of its length, as seen in Figs.1, 2, and 4, and thus causes the rail to be firmly clamped and heldimmovably in position upon the tie without any possibility of moving inthe direction of its length. The width of the space between the flangeor lip m and the rail G is such that when the wedge n is removed therail can be easily lifted out of the chair or placed therein by turningit slightly edgewise, thus facilitating the laying of the track orrepairs on the same. The under sideot' the wedge 12 is shaped to fitover the base-flange of the rail, its outer portion being level with thebottom of the same, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The flange m is inclinedinward toward the top of the rail, and also inward toward the side ofthe same in the direction of its length,to conform to the shape of thewedge, the two opposite sides of which thus lie in contact along theirentire length with the rail G and flangem,whereby a firm hold is securedand the wedge prevented frombecomingloose. When,however,thepaving blocksare laid, they will fit snugly against the ends of the wedge, and renderit impossible for it to work out of its proper position.

' I am aware that channel-iron has been used for railway-ties, and alsothat rail-chairs have been employed having wedges or keys insertedbetween their upturned lips and the rail; hence I make-no broad claimtothese features, as my invention relates to the peculiar construction andcombination of parts and the novel method of securing the chair to theside flanges of the tie, as hereinbefore described. I

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

ing through the same, substantially as set.

forth.

1. The combination, with a cross-tie, A,

2. vThe combination, with a cross-tie, A, formed; ofchannel-iron,.having its open side uppermost to receive thepaving-blocks, of a rail clamp or chair, D, provided on one side with alip, '5, extending over the base-flange of the rail,and on the oppositeside with a flange, m, inclined inwardly toward the top and side of therail, and extending nearly up to the top of the same, and the wedge n.adapted to be driven in between the said flange m and the side-of therail, said clamp resting upon the upper edges of the vertical sideflanges,b,0f the tie, and having ears or lugs c extendingdown upon theouter sides ofthe said flanges b, and secured thereto by a transversebolt, 9, passing through the same, all constructed to operatesubstantially in the manner and for the purpose described,

Witness my hand this 5th day of February, A. D. 1886. HENRY HOWARD.

In presence of P. E. TESCHEMACHER,

W. J. CAMBRIDGE.

